Annual Meeting of the Parish Council,

Bi-monthly meeting, and Annual Parish

Meeting

Wednesday 4 May 2022 at 7pm, Reed

Village Hall

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE PARISH

COUNCIL

Draft Minutes

Printable/downloadable version (opens as PDF document) Present: Cllrs. Langley, d’Ayala, Kilby, Blower and the Clerk. Also in attendance: Dist. Cllr. Morris, County Cllr. Hill and Dist. Cllr. Hunter. In addition, 13 members of the public were present 1. To appoint a Chairman of the Parish Council for the ensuing Council year. Proposed, seconded and all voted in favour that Ken Langley be Chair for the ensuing Year. Cllr. Langley took the chair. Resolved. 2. To receive the Chairman’s Declaration of Acceptance of Office. Signed. 3. To approve the minutes of the Annual Meeting held on 5th May 2021. Proposed, seconded and agreed by all. Resolved. 4. To appoint a Deputy Chairman of the Parish Council for the ensuing Council year. Proposed, seconded and all voted in favour that Cllr. d’Ayala be Vice Chair for the ensuing year. Resolved. There being no further business the meeting closed at 7.05pm

MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL

Draft Minutes

Printable/downloadable version (opens as PDF document) Present Cllrs: K Langley (Chair), C d’Ayala (Vice Chair), E Kilby and B Blower. In attendance the Clerk Catharine Toms, County Cllr. F Hill and Dist. Cllrs. G Morris and A Hunter. This meeting would be recorded for the purpose of the minutes. 1.5.22 Attendance. As listed above. 2.5.22 To receive apologies for absence. None. 3.5.22 To receive Members Declarations of Interest and to note dispensation granted. No declarations of interest. Cllr. Kilby, for the remainder of his period of office, dispensation granted allowing him full participation at meetings in issues arising concerning The Cabinet public house including, but not limited to, planning matters. 4.5.22 To approve the Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held on 2 nd March 2022 and to authorise the Chairman to sign them as a true record. It was proposed, seconded and all voted in favour to approve. Resolved. Approved minutes to be posted on the website. Action: Clerk/Webmaster Standing Orders were suspended. 5.5.22 To invite Members of the Public to address the meeting. One member of the public wished to query whether the Council had been contacted by the Turney Trust regarding development on their land off Blacksmiths Lane. They were informed that the Council was meeting with the Turney Trust in June and that it would be an item for report at the July Council meeting. Standing Orders were resumed. 6.5.22 To agree co-option to fill Parish Councillor vacancy – It was reported that someone had indicated an interest to become a Councillor but that the matter would need to be deferred until the July meeting. 7.5.22 To review action points from the meeting on 2 nd March 2022 – reviewed. Action Points from this meeting 8.5.22 To review Governance documents (including effectiveness of its system of internal control) and to adopt any revised documents – All had been reviewed by Cllr. Kilby and the Clerk and had been previously circulated to Cllrs. in advance of the meeting. A new set of Financial Regulations based on a National Association of Local Councils (NALC) model, an amended Financial Risk Assessment now incorporating an item on electronic methods of payment, and the Standing Orders which required no amendments. It was proposed, seconded and agreed by all to adopt the documents. Resolved. Cllr. Kilby to post these amended documents on the website. Action: EK Cllr. Kilby and the Clerk were thanked for their work on these items. 9.5.22 To receive report from the Clerk on current financial position A list of monies received and payments to be authorised had been previously circulated to all Cllrs. Accounts showed a bank balance of £22,481.76 of which, £10,133.35 was Push Energy Community Contribution (ring-fenced for special projects), £2,867.49 was Bonfire Night reserves, £690.75 was P3 grant balance, S106 Sustainable Transport Reserve was £954.62, leaving general reserves at £7,835.55. Receipts since the last meeting included £588.00 Herts County Council Locality Grant for the Jubilee beacon, £516.00 HMRC VAT reclaim and £4,167.58 from North Herts Council for the half year Precept payment. 10.5.22 To verify bank reconciliation as at 31 st March 2022 – Cllr. Kilby, as a non-bank signatory, verified reconciliation as correct. Resolved. 11.5.22 To approve the use of BACS and CHAPS as methods of bank payments – Proposed, seconded and approved by all. Resolved. 12.5.22 To agree accounts for payment, including insurance renewal and level of fidelity guarantee cover at £250,000.00 - Insurance fidelity guarantee cover was considered by the Council to be more than adequate. Payments to be authorised at the meeting were Clerk’s salary and PAYE. £50.00 Clerk’s expenses to cover cost of broadband for the year. £247.84 to BHIB for annual insurance and £198.38 to Hertfordshire Association of Parish and Town Councils for the annual subscription. Proposed, seconded and approved by all. Resolved. 13.5.22 To approve review of Push Energy Fund Expenditure Policy (see Appendix) – this had been previously circulated to all Cllrs and was read out to all those present at the meeting. It was proposed, seconded and agreed by all to approve the reviewed policy. Resolved. Policy to be an appendix to the minutes and posted on the website. Action: Clerk/EK 14.5.22 To ratify response to Wisbridge Farm Agricultural Reservoir Planning Application – 22/00910/FP – The Parish Council recommended to North Herts Council (NHC) to refuse the application because there was not enough information included in the application to make a determination to approve it. Proposed, seconded and ratified. Resolved. 15.5.22 To receive update on plans for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in Reed – Cllr. Kilby reported that plans were coming together and that an outline of events had been recently published in the Diary. All events were being run by the various village organisations. A special page was available to view on the website and a leaflet would be delivered to all residents confirming final arrangements. Thursday 2 nd June at 5pm – Reed Choir would be singing at St Albans Cathedral. Thursday 2 nd June at 9.45pm – A meeting of people from Reed and Barkway on the intersection of the meridian line on The Joint to light a Jubilee beacon. An event being carried out in conjunction with many others across the UK. A road closure had been organised to allow safe walking from both villages. Friday 3 rd June from 6pm – A Save The Cabinet Action Group (SCAG) pop up pub night at the Village Hall. Sunday 5 th June at 12 noon – Unveiling of the restored village sign, followed by a village photograph. Then a village Jubilee walk which would end up in the churchyard in time for a tea being organised. Reed Choir would then finish off the day with a choral evensong in the Church. 16.5.22 To receive matters for report or referral to next agenda. (Information only) Co-option of a new Councillor, Ponds protection project update, Play equipment project and grant funding, Community noticeboard / Push Energy fund expenditure, Highways verges and grass cutting, consider the installation of an additional dog bin, NHDC Local Plan, usage of footpath by cyclists. 17.5.22 To note correspondence received. (Information only) – A letter had been received from a Parishioner regarding usage of footpath 7 by cyclists. 18.5.22 To agree date of next meetings. Weds 6 th July 2022. Agreed. There being no further business the meeting closed at 19.52pm.

Appendix: Push Energy Money policy

Reed Parish Council received monies from Push Energy following the development of the solar farm on Wisbridge farmland between Barkway and Reed. The value of the fund can be found in the published minutes of each Parish Council meeting. Criteria for allocating monies Requests for money need to satisfy the following criteria: The request should be for a new initiative or item(s) which is independent from current clubs or fundraising activities within the village of Reed. The added value to parishioners and the positive impact on the village life needs to be clearly defined. Identification of any ongoing costs for Reed Parish Council resulting from the new initiative. The application must be made by a parishioner of Reed. How to make a request for monies Reed Parish Council will consider applications from parishioners each year at the annual parish council meeting. Applications need to be in writing to the Parish Clerk or one of the parish councillors at least 7 days prior to the annual meeting. Applications need to address and satisfy the above criteria. In exceptional circumstances where an urgent need is identified a request can be made to the Parish Clerk outside of the annual process. The request will be considered at the next scheduled parish council meeting. Policy review Reed Parish Council will periodically review this policy. Policy Date: 4 May 2022

ANNUAL PARISH MEETING

Agenda

Printable/downloadable copy (opens as PDF document) 1. Welcome 2. Apologies 3. Chair’s Report 4. County Councillor’s Report 5. District Councillor’s Report 6. Village Organisation Reports a. Reed Readers b. Friends of Reed Church c. Friends of Reed First School d. Reed First School e. Indoor Bowls f. Parish Paths Partnership g. Reed Gardening Club h. Reed Cricket Club i. Reed Choir j. St Mary’s Church k. Reed Village Hall l. Save The Cabinet Action Group 7. Matters or Questions from Members of the Public 8. Close of Meeting This agenda may change subject to confirmation of attendees. REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED ..